Lock mechanism



Feb. 9 1926.

H. N. SLEDGE Lock MECHANISM Filed July 6, 1925 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

HENRY N. SLEDGE, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LOCK MECHANISM.

Application filed July 6, 1925.

At the present time when holdups are prevalent, bandits will enter a store and compel the clerk or cashier to operate the combination of: a safe lock and open the safe. In such holdups, speed is essential since the bandits obviously want to make a quick getaway.

This invention has for its salient object'to provide a look so constructed and arranged that a considerable period of time must elapse after the combination of a lock has been worked before the lock bolts can be withdrawn and the safe door or other door can be opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a look so constructed and arranged that i the manual operation of a combination lock or equivalent mechanism will set in operation slow movingpower driven means so constructed and arranged as to release the locking bolt after a period of time has elapsed. 7

Another object of theinvention is to pro vide lock mechanism combining a manually operable device with slow moving power driven means for controlling and withdrawing a locking bolt or detent.

Another object of the invention is to provide lock mechanism combining a manually operable device and power driven mechanism within the control of the operator but set in operation by the manually operated device, said power driven 'means completing the release of the'locking bolt.

Another object of the invention is to provide lock mechanism comprising a-locking bolt and detent with power driven means set in operation by the withdrawal of the detent for releasing the locking bolts from locking position.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings, which form 'a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is an elevational viewof mecha- Serial No. 41,483.

nism constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being shown in looking position;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 1, the parts being broken away and the detent being withdrawn and the locking bolts being shown as partially released and under operation by the power driven mechanism; I

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing the connection between the handle for throwing the locking bolts into looking position and the control disk or dog, which is operated in one direction by the handle and in the opposite direction by the power driven mechanism i Fig. i is a sectional elevation showing the details of the connecting means between the power driven mechanism and the dog or arm which controls the locking bolts; and

Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the connection between the power shaft and gear shaft. V

The invention briefly described consists of a lock comprising locking bolts, a dog or disk for throwing said bolts into locking position, a detent arranged to prevent the operation of said dog to withdraw the bolts, power driven means and means under the control of the detent for connecting the power driven means to the dog when the detent is withdrawn whereby the locking bolts will be released from looking position. The gmwer driven means may be operated by any suitable source of power and is operated slowly and gradually so that a considerable period of time must elapse during the withdrawal of the locking bolts from locking position. Further details of the invention will appear trom the following descrlption.

Locking bolts.

shaft or spindle 13, roller bearings 14 preterably beinginterposed between the spindle and the disk so that the disk can rotate freely on the spindle. The outer end of the spindle has a handle 15 secured thereto and the inner end has formed thereon or secured thereto, ratchet teeth 16 which are eii'gage'd by a pawl 17 pivoted at 18 to the disk and resiliently forced into contact with the ratchet by means of the spring 19.

The locking bolts are pivoted at 20 and 21 to the disk at points laterally olfset from the center of the disk and when the handle 15 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the ratchet teeth of the ratchet 16 and the pawl 17 will cause the disk to be rotated in a dircction to throw the bolts into locking position.

Detcnt mechanism.

A detent is slidably mounted on rollers 31 and is guided at its upper edge by aroller The detent has pivoted thereon at 83, an arm 34: which has an offset end adapted to enter peripheral notches 36 in aseries of tumblers 37 (one, of which is shown) when the proper combination has been worked and the notches of the various tumblers are disposed in alinement with each other: When the end -ofthe arm 845- drops into the notches, the tumbler disks can be rotated in an anti-clockwise direetion (viewing Fig. 1) thereby moving the detent 30 to the left against a stop 38:

operating dog.

A gear wheel 40'is mounted above the detent 30- and it is contemplated that the gear wheel willberotated continuously from a suitable source of power and at a .slow rate of speed.

The arm 12 has'secured thereto and extending upwardly therefrom an arm 11 to which thereis pivoted at 42 a curved rack 43 having teeth at. A spring' l5 is carried by the arm 41 and tends to force the rack 4.8 in a clockwise direction about its pivot. The rack 48 is so positioned that when the rackis swung to the left or in a clockwise direction, the teeth 44: thereof will mesh with the teeth of the gear wheel 40.

The rack 43 has secured to its lower end a downwardly extendingstrip 50 preferably resilient and adaptedto extend between the teeth 51 of a' rack 52 mounted on the. upper right hand end of the detent 30.

lVhen the. detent 30 is withdrawn or moved tothe left, the rack 43 will be moved about: its pivot 42 by reason 1 of the engagement of the strip-50 with the rack teeth 51, causing-the teeth l l of the rack to move into mesh with the: teeth ofthe'gear 40'. The gear 40 will then slowly and'gradually swing'thedog or. arm 12i1ran-aiiti-clockclutch members 56 being connected to the shaft 55 and the other clutch member being resiliently pressed into engagement with the member 56- by means of a spring 58. The clutch member 57 is' carried by a slut lit- 59, slidably mounted in the door.

Operation.

hen the door or other device on which the lock is mounted is swung to closed position, the handle 15 will be rotated in a; clockwise direction (viewing thefro'nt ol' the door) and thelock-ing bolts 10 will be thrown into locking? position by reason of the pawl and-ratchet connection between the spindle131a-nd theldlsk 11. The detent 30 will then be moved to the right, preventing any" operation ofthe bolt releasing means and moving the rack- 43 out of mesh with the gear 40.

When the door is to be unlocked, the dctent 30 will be withdrawn by the tumblers, causing the rack-43 to be moved into mesh with the gear 40. The gear 10 will then slowly and gradually withdraw the locking bolts and it will be obvious that no manipulation of the'handle 15c'an cause the'release otthe locking bolts, or hasten the action of the powerdriven mechanism.

Although on'e'specific embodiment of the invention hasbeen particularly shown and described, itwill be understood that the invention is capable'of modification and that changes in the construction and in thearrangemen't of the variou'scooperating. part-s maybe made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed inthe followingclaims.

lVhat I claim'is:

1. Lock mechanism comprising a locking bolt, means for moving said bolt into and out of locking position, a detent for preventing the movement of sa idbolt from locking position, means for withdrawing said detent and power driven mechanism'un- 'der the control of said detent for operating said bolt moving means to move the bolt to unlocking position.

2. Lockmechanism' comprising locking elements movable to locking and unlocking positions,-.a detent-for preventing the movement of said elements to unloekingposition, power driven means for movingthe locking elements tou nlocking position and means controlledby saiddetent for: operatively connecting said'power driven means. to said locking elements.

3. Lock mechanism comprising locking bolts movable to locking and unlocking positions, a detent for preventing the movement of said bolts to unlocking position, a power driven member, a member operatively connected to said bolts and adapted to operatively engage said power driven member and eoacting means on said detent and said second member for moving said second member into operative engagement with said power driven member as said detent is moved to bolt releasing position.

.1-. Lock mechanism comprising locking bolts movable to locking and unlocking positions, a detent for preventingthe movement of said bolts to unlocking position, a power driven gear, a rack operatively connected to said bolts and adapted to operatively engage said power driven gear and coacting means on said detent and said rack for moving said rack into operative engagement with said power driven gear as the detent is moved to bolt releasing position.

5. Lock mechanisi'n comprising locking bolts movable to locking and unlocking positions, manually operable means for moving the bolts to locking position, power driven means for moving the bolts to un locking position and manually operable means including a detent for operatively connecting said power driven means to said bolts.

6. Lock mechanism comprising locking bolts movable to locking and unlocking positions, manually operable means for moving the bolts to locking position, power driven means for moving the bolts to unlocking position, a detent for preventing the movement of said bolts to unlocking position and means carried by the detent adapted to operatively connect said power driven means to the bolts as the detent is moved to bolt releasing position.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of June, 1925.

HENRY N. SLEDGE. 

